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Engaging and Interactive Webinars: A Creative Series for NLP Trainers
In today’s digital world, where online seminars and webinars are becoming increasingly important, it is essential for us as NLP trainers not only to convey content but to create real interaction and enthusiasm. A lively and interactive webinar boosts not only attention but also the learning process and emotional engagement of participants.
But how do you ensure your participants are engaged and joyful from the very beginning? That’s exactly where our series starts: "Interactive Tools for Lively Webinars". In today’s edition, we begin with an extraordinary and very personal introduction round that immediately lifts the atmosphere.
Topic 1: Introducing Yourself with Objects
Imagine your participants enter the virtual room. They may feel a bit unsure because they don’t know the others, or perhaps they’ve already spent the entire day in front of a screen. This is your opportunity to engage them by giving a playful and personal task.
The task: "Find three objects that represent you!"
Give your participants the following instruction:
"You now have two minutes to look around your home or surroundings and find three objects that describe you or say something about who you are. Once you’re back, briefly introduce yourself with these objects: Why did you choose them? What do they say about you?"
Why does this work so well?
- Personal connection: Your participants reflect on what defines them and how they want to present themselves. This creates a deeper connection with their own personality and others.
- Creativity: Choosing objects stimulates imagination. There’s instant curiosity about what others have selected.
- Icebreaker: Walking around and searching for items breaks the passive sitting mode and adds energy to the flow.
Example of the process
- Your introduction: "I want us to get to know each other in a slightly different way. Each of us has things around that tell a story. Let’s share those stories."
- Time frame: "You now have 5 minutes to look around. Find three objects that describe you. It can be something you use often, something that touches you emotionally, or something that tells a funny story."
- Introduction round: Have participants show their objects to the camera one by one and explain. Here are a few examples:
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- Example 1: Lisa holds up a mug she got from her grandmother. She says: "This shows how important family is to me and how much I love my morning coffee."
- Example 2: Stephan shows a pair of running shoes: "I’m a big fan of sports and go jogging almost every day. Exercise is the perfect balance for me."
- Example 3: Maria shows a book: "Reading is my great passion. This book changed my life because it introduced me to NLP."
- Reflection: After the introductions, ask the group what surprised or impressed them, or who found similarities. This instantly creates a warm and engaging group dynamic.
Additional variations
- Topic focus: Ask your participants to choose objects specifically related to the seminar topic, e.g., "an object that shows why you're here."
- Group task: After the introduction round, form small groups where participants discuss commonalities between their objects.
- Fun competition: Introduce a playful category, such as "the most unusual object" or "the most surprising story."
Conclusion: Small ideas with big impact
This method for an introduction round shows how easy it can be to create connection through creativity and interaction. Especially in NLP, where personality and communication are key, you immediately set an important anchor for openness and curiosity.
Try it out in your next webinar – you’ll see how much more alive the atmosphere becomes and how quickly participants start connecting with each other.
Stay tuned for the next edition of our series, where we’ll share more tools and techniques to turn your webinars into powerful experiences!
Stephan Landsiedel is a diploma psychologist and NLP trainer.